JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in various industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to respond to hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals discover about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or referall.us they have seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “developing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning about their employing practices, .

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the roadway,” he stated.

That prep work includes getting ready for task fairs.

“You need to go into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He discussed that participants should determine the companies they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.